President Donald Trump is losing a fifth member of his manufacturing jobs council: AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka.

Author:
Associated Press , WFAA

Published:
5:52 PM CDT August 15, 2017

Updated:
5:52 PM CDT August 15, 2017

President Donald Trump is losing a fifth member of his manufacturing jobs council: AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka.

The union leader says: "We cannot sit on a council for a president who tolerates bigotry and domestic terrorism. President Trump's remarks today repudiate his forced remarks yesterday about the KKK and neo-Nazis."

In remarks Tuesday in New York City, Trump seemed to defend some people marching with white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia. The protest Saturday over the removal of a Confederate statute led to violence and the death of one counter-protester.

Among those who've left the panel are the chief executives for Merck, Under Armour and Intel and the president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing.

Trump says the departures were due to some of those companies making products overseas.

Along with Trumka, AFL-CIO deputy chief of staff Thea Lee also announced her resignation. Read their full joint statement below:

“We cannot sit on a council for a President who tolerates bigotry and domestic terrorism. President Trump’s remarks today repudiate his forced remarks yesterday about the KKK and neo-Nazis. We must resign on behalf of America’s working people, who reject all notions of legitimacy of these bigoted groups.

“It’s clear that President Trump’s Manufacturing Council was never an effective means for delivering real policy that lifts working families and his remarks today were the last straw. We joined this council with the intent to be a voice for working people and real hope that it would result in positive economic policy, but it has become yet another broken promise on the President’s record. From hollow councils to bad policy and embracing bigotry, the actions of this administration have consistently failed working people.”

I cannot sit on a council for a President that tolerates bigotry and domestic terrorism; I resign, effective immediately. pic.twitter.com/ip6F2nsoog